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Preposition after adjective

troublesome + preposition

Troublesome is usually followed by for when something causes difficulty for a person or group.

Quick answer

Should you use troublesome for or troublesome to?

Use troublesome for to describe something that causes problems for someone. Troublesome to is uncommon after the adjective troublesome in modern English.

The delay was troublesome for passengers.
These rules are troublesome for small businesses.
The noise became troublesome for nearby residents.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
troublesome for + person/group

Showing who is affected by problems

Use troublesome for when something creates inconvenience or difficulty.

The paperwork is troublesome for applicants.
The change was troublesome for staff members.
2
troublesome in + situation

Describing a difficult context

In may introduce the area where problems appear, but it is not the main fixed pattern.

Errors can be troublesome in large databases.
3
troublesome with + thing

Referring to difficulty involving something

With can describe the object connected to the problem.

The software is troublesome with older devices.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
troublesome for
The new schedule is troublesome for commuters.
standard pattern for causing difficulty
troublesome to
The new schedule is troublesome to commuters.
generally less natural than troublesome for
troublesome in
The defect is troublesome in cold weather.
in introduces a context or condition
troublesome with
The printer is troublesome with wireless connections.
with introduces the related thing or feature

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using troublesome to for affected people

For is the normal preposition after troublesome.

✕ The change was troublesome to employees. ✓ The change was troublesome for employees.

Confusing troublesome with trouble

Troublesome is an adjective, while trouble is usually a noun or verb.

✕ The delay gave troublesome for customers. ✓ The delay was troublesome for customers.

Using troublesome without context

The adjective usually needs a clear source of difficulty.

✕ It is troublesome. ✓ The payment system is troublesome for users.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The policy is troublesome ___ small companies.
2. The issue becomes troublesome ___ winter conditions.
3. The app is troublesome ___ older phones.

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Frequently asked questions

Is troublesome to incorrect?

It is not completely impossible, but troublesome for is much more natural in current English.

Can troublesome describe people?

Yes. A troublesome person causes problems or difficulty.

What is a common synonym for troublesome?

Problematic, difficult, and inconvenient are common alternatives depending on context.

tailor-made-for-to-by-according, as "talented in" or "talented at"? "tall in" or "tall with"? tamil in, as, for, from or by? "tangled in" or "tangled with"? tantamount to "taxable in", "taxable under" or "taxable at"? "technical in" or "technical for"? teeming with or in? "tempting for" or "tempting to"? tender for, to, in, with or of? "terrible for" or "terrible at"?

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